Effective Presentations

Hartaj.Sanghara@ubc.ca
 Objectives

— Learn strategies for effective presentations

— Use tips for getting started

— Learn an ABC format for presentations

— Deliver with “3Ps” strategy

— Workshop
— Assignment – Group Presentations

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 Tips for Getting Started
Use these tips for getting started…

q Consider your audience – knowledge of the topic

q Plan your content and organize ideas logically

q Choose or create a template for your presentation

q Use visuals/graphics to support your key points/project

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 Guidelines for Presentations

• Capture an audience’s interest

• Clear purpose and objectives of your project

• Overview of key points/sections of your presentation

• Logical organization of your key points/sections

• Transition to the next speaker in your team

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 ABC Format for Presentations
Abstract/Introduction

— Capture your audience’s interest by providing context,

an example, or a statistic

— Introduce the topic, purpose, and objectives

— Discuss the significance of your topic/project

— Give an overview of your presentation/project

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 ABC Format for Presentations
Body

— Explain your main points, key facts, and relevant findings

— Project description and objectives
— Background or history on the topic
— Description of the design or technology
— Applications and/or examples
— Benefits and concerns
— Ethical and other considerations

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 ABC Format for Presentations
Conclusion

— Summarize your main points

— Specify recommendations or call to action

— End with positive points and key benefits

(Technical Communication)

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 PowerPoint

q Simple, clean templates

q Consistent format for slides

q Alignment of content/points in slides

q Standard font for headings and text

q Relevant data and visuals/graphics

 PowerPoint – Text
q Content
• Organize and summarize main points
• Use consistent format for readability

q Size
• Add headings 32-40 pts
• Use text 24 pts or larger font Word

q Font Word
• Use standard font
• Sans-serif is preferable to serif
 PowerPoint – Text

q Inconsistent, inappropriate use and size of fonts is

difficult to read.

q Too much text in a presentation is discouraged and

not readable for an audience

q The use of large amounts of text in a PowerPoint

presentation looks cluttered. Sentences should be
avoided for several reasons:
1) you don’t want to be reading directly from the screen
2) text is distracting for the audience
3) reading tends to disrupt the relationship between you
and the audience
 PowerPoint – Visuals and Graphics
Media Purpose Strategies
Tables, graphs, Present data and Show data
charts trends Support key points

Images Create an “effect” Check quality and

and “affect” respect copyright

Audio Explain an idea Use a script to

(clips and Summarize points create a podcast
podcasts) Tell a story

Video Demonstrate or Provide more

(YouTube, utilize expertise information and
TED talks ) respect copyright
 Simplify Data

Is all the data necessary?

— Depends on your purpose and objectives

— Depends on your research and relevant data

— Depends on your audience and level of technicality

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 Research and Results
A B C D E

0.78799174 0.87677244 0.99348605 0.23781547 0.24437526

0.24910355 0.79708654 0.39825661 0.4894876 0.22079456
0.65729261 0.46901063 0.36471191 0.04697233 0.63468059
0.48205396 0.52657506 0.70503426 0.35280176 0.40935313
0.46328137 0.0774365 0.71517444 0.9394662 0.46843638
0.09762717 0.70884867 0.81407539 0.24571711 0.72497819
0.00773315 0.39906447 0.42344939 0.90776976 0.22209006
0.15857663 0.4181197 0.56488165 0.91405841 0.3578349
0.59242455 0.17894389 0.61926672 0.02978346 0.50789172
0.41285757 0.71470398 0.31906988 0.79658426 0.21587647
0.8855586 0.46534556 0.3701164 0.12452538 0.33415497
0.28231467 0.17509894 0.85801024 0.72984635 0.94731238
0.82370951 0.03235362 0.95622299 0.27726297 0.76619879
0.86245578 0.21094811 0.93272287 0.48265505 0.04960646
0.38953201 0.3665743 0.33754918 0.28178635 0.39637009
0.80522838 0.63509032 0.43333321 0.97677807 0.96198172
0.35928212 0.14878634 0.44201417 0.23251612 0.83375154
0.72099806 0.75212293 0.81061259 0.23756284 0.48518996
0.13329065 0.31602317 0.87489249 0.5304632 0.26191565
0.2588109 0.89039838 0.81380512 0.59139955 0.48488759
0.99314419 0.34635186 0.73292414 0.25933239 0.29230491
0.88041055 0.11473455 0.01934078 0.15717245 0.93780676
0.72332226 0.80195173 0.1792961 0.07832254 0.41154579
0.95925002 0.41696749 0.24905812 0.2111233 0.00256536
0.00580885 0.65322119 0.49666074 0.91641276 0.40573275
0.26004883 0.3010126 0.45604195 0.99935168 0.91271048
0.1508427 0.84418604 0.96241158 0.05548096 0.94093154
0.63750743 0.08979734 0.11100042 0.34646613 0.09994533
0.17176871 0.85518113 0.94522781 0.29368901 0.77444161
0.15186964 0.53105474 0.69991523 0.07876247 0.0023978
0.72306385 0.73755246 0.71402806 0.68090612 0.76015636 14
0.42140074 0.39036871 0.02247591 0.94725973 0.70692042
 Graphics and Visuals
1.2

0.8
Series1
Series2
0.6 Series3
Series4
Series5
0.4

0.2

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41

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 “3Ps” Strategy
For presentations, you can use the “3Ps” strategy:

q Step 1: Prepare carefully

q Step 2: Practice as individuals and as a team

q Step 3: Perform with enthusiasm

(Technical Communication)

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 Tips for Delivery
• Prepare your presentation on slides, cards, or overheads

• Practice delivering your presentation

• Speak clearly and deliberately – slow down

• Maintain eye contact with your audience

• Keep hands relaxed and limit gestures

• Avoid filler words – e.g. okay, well, umm

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 Resources

§ Monash University – Engineering

https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-
samples/engineering

§ Monash University – Presentation

https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-
samples/engineering/oral-presentation

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 Coursework

§ Please prepare your group presentation for

our class on Tuesday, November 27.

§ Please see the Monash University website and

resources (see slide 18).

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